Video streaming playback system and method

Abstract

A video streaming playback system is provided with a video playback module configured to provide a video to a video hosting site by a content creator on a user interface displayed on a computer of a content consumer so as to enable streaming playback of the video over an electronic network; a tipping module; a reward download button/link display module; and a reward setup interface configured for the content creator to upload content as a reward file, the content being different from the video for streaming playback; wherein the tipping module comprises: a tipping button/link display module configured to display an activated tipping button/link on a user interface; and a tip processing module configured to, in response to a content consumer operating the activated tipping button/link, process payment of a tip of a specific amount according to a default setting or a setting made by the content creator; wherein the reward download button/link display module is configured to display, depending on the processing of the tip payment, an activated reward download button/link on the user interface, enabling the content consumer to download the reward file which was uploaded from the reward setup interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer program product for implementing a video streaming playback system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying computer-executable program instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause one or more computers to execute:
 a video playback module, configured to provide a video that was previously uploaded to a specific video hosting site by a user who is a content creator on a user interface displayed on a computer of a content consumer so as to enable streaming playback of the video over an electronic network, the video playback module having a video playback operation to allow the video to be played on the user interface; 
 a tipping module configured to operate in tandem with the video playback operation performed by the video playback module, the tipping module configured to perform a tipping process; 
 a reward button/link display module configured to operate in tandem with the tipping process performed by the tipping module; and 
 a reward setup interface configured for the user who is a content creator to upload content as a reward file, the content being different from the video for streaming playback; 
 wherein the tipping module comprises: 
 a tipping button/link display module configured to display an activated tipping button/link on the user interface; and 
 a tip processing module configured to, in response to the content consumer operating the activated tipping button/link, process payment of a tip of a specific amount according to a default setting or a setting made by the user who is a content creator; 
 wherein the reward button/link display module is configured to display, depending on the processing of the tip payment, an activated reward button/link on the user interface, enabling the content consumer to download, or display within an in-site page or on an external page the reward file which was uploaded from the reward setup interface. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 the reward setup interface is further configured so that the video for streaming playback itself can be set as a download reward. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reward file includes an audio file. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer program product according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a content conversion module for generating the audio file by extracting audio from a video uploaded by the user who is a content creator. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer program product according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reward button/link display module displays an indicator corresponding to a type of a downloadable reward as a reward button/link. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reward setup interface is configured for the user who is a content creator to select to offer a reward or not offer a reward for the video which the user who is a content creator has uploaded upon payment of a tip; and 
 wherein the reward button/link display module is configured to: 
 (i) display an activated reward button/link on the user interface when the user who is a content creator has selected using the reward setup interface to offer a reward upon payment of a tip, or has not selected using the reward setup interface to not offer a reward upon payment of a tip, and 
 (ii) not display an activated reward button/link on the user interface when the user who is a content creator has not selected using the reward setup interface to offer a reward upon payment of a tip, or has selected using the reward setup interface to not offer a reward upon payment of a tip. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer program product according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specific amount according to a default setting is preset by an operator of the video playback system.